


Vigil

by isabeau25



Category: Epic (2013)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-29
Updated: 2014-03-29
Packaged: 2018-01-17 09:35:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1382608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isabeau25/pseuds/isabeau25
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The night after Nod's father's funeral, no one wants to be alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vigil

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Finn_The_Epic_Leafman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Finn_The_Epic_Leafman/gifts).



> Soren is the name of Nod's father. Lysette is the name of his mother. There's no deep meaning to this. I just liked the names.

Ronin had finally fallen asleep, face pressed into Finn’s leg, and one hand fisted in the material of his pant leg. He had made it through telling Lysette about Soren’s death, and managing her total breakdown, arranging care for her, and finding a place for Nod, organizing Soren’s funeral, and attending it, and now he was completely spent.

They had retreated back to Ronin’s apartment after the funeral and handing Nod off to his current caregiver, and Ronin had fallen to pieces. Actually, Finn hadn’t been much better. Soren may have been Ronin’s closest and oldest friend, but he had been dear to Finn as well.

Ronin had cried himself to sleep finally, but Finn was still too jittery to settle. He pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and covered Ronin, leaving his arm resting along Ronin’s back. It was good to know he wasn’t alone, reassuring to feel the rise and fall of Ronin’s breathing. He didn’t know how they were going to get through this, and not just he and Ronin, but everyone.

At the present moment Ronin wasn’t in any shape to be acting general, and they no longer had a second-in-command to take his place. Ronin hadn’t appointed one yet, nor did Finn expect him to any time soon. Finn strongly suspected Tara would take that choice off Ronin’s shoulders and appoint someone herself. She and Ronin talked extensively about promotions and officer placement. She would have a good idea of who would have the right skill set and who would work well with Ronin.

Finn was just starting to drift when someone knocked on the door. His head shot up, and he looked quickly down at Ronin, but the general only stirred, too exhausted to be roused. Finn felt a surge of anger. He knew Tara had given the order to take all problems directly to her and not disturb Ronin.

The knocking came again, nervous and quick, and Finn carefully extracted himself from Ronin, sliding a pillow under his head, then went to get the door. He jerked it open, ready to verbally eviscerate whoever was there, only to pull up short. Nod was at the door, barefoot and face stained with tears. He took a stumbling step back at the sudden appearance of Finn.

“Where’s Ronin?” the boy stammered nervously.

Finn pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to summon what little patience he had left. Ronin had been dealing with Nod almost nonstop since Soren’s death, and he needed a break. They both did.

“Why aren’t you with Miss Orla?” Finn demanded.

“I want Ronin,” Nod glared at him.

“Ronin is sleeping. You can’t see him right now,” Finn said firmly, stepping into the hall and closing the door behind him, “come on. I’ll take you back to Miss Orla.”

“No!” Nod shrank back from him, “I want to see my mom, and she won’t let me.”

Finn flinched a little, then crouched down so he wasn’t towering over the boy. He really hadn’t meant to scare him.

“Nod, you can’t see her right now,” he explained gently, “she’s sick.”

Lysette was currently in the healers ward, completely unresponsive. Ronin had taken Nod to see her the day before, and the boy had had an utter meltdown when he had been unable to get her to respond to him. Everyone had agreed that it would be best for Nod if he wasn’t allowed to see her for a while. Having his mother completely ignore him when he was so upset would distress the child more than not seeing her at all.

“I want my mom,” Nod insisted stubbornly.

“Not tonight,” Finn shook his head.

“Then I want Ronin,” Nod sniffled, fresh tears starting to fall, though he was no less fierce for them.

“No,” Finn told him firmly, “I’ll take you back to Miss Orla, and you can see Ronin tomorrow.”

“No, now!” Nod balled his hands into fists, glaring with all his might.

“Nod…” Finn rubbed his eyes tiredly.

This wasn’t Nod’s fault. He was only a child, and he had effectively lost both his parents in a single day, but Ronin needed to rest.

“Nod?”

The door opened behind Finn, and he gave a frustrated huff.

“Ronin!” Nod darted around Finn, flinging himself at Ronin.

Ronin scooped him up, holding him against his chest.

“I want mom,” Nod repeated, arms wrapping around Ronin’s neck.

“Not tonight, buddy,” Ronin shook his head.

“But I want her,” Nod’s voice caught as his sobs began in earnest, “I’ll be good this time. I promise.”

“You weren’t bad, that’s not why,” Ronin rubbed the child’s back, “she’s sick right now and needs to rest.”

“But I’ll be really quiet,” Nod pleaded.

“No,” Ronin held him closer, “stay with us tonight.”

“I want my mom,” Nod cried.

“I know,” Ronin pressed his face into the boy’s hair, “you have to wait.”

It was too much for the weary child, and he dissolved into sobs, burying his face against Ronin’s neck. Ronin dropped a hand down to tug on Finn’s shoulder as he started to go back inside, wanting Finn to come with him.

“I’ll be right there,” Finn squeezed his hand reassuringly and stood up, “let me send a message that Nod’s with you.”

Ronin nodded and disappeared back inside with the crying child. It only took Finn a few minutes to send the message. By the time he got back, Ronin was back on the couch, feet on the coffee table, and Nod on his lap. The boy still had his face buried against Ronin’s chest, and his sobs had wound down to hiccupping whimpers.

“Want me to take him for a while?” Finn flopped down beside them.

“No,” Ronin slumped against his side, head falling to rest on his shoulder, lazily stroking the crying child’s back, “just stay.”

“As long as you want,” Finn rested his cheek against Ronin’s head.

“Thanks,” Ronin murmured wearily.

Finn nodded, not sure he would be able to stand being anywhere else at the moment anyway. He wasn’t sure whether Ronin or Nod fell asleep first, but they both dropped off quickly. Finn was finally overwhelmed by his own exhaustion and grief and fell asleep to the sound of Nod’s soft snoring and Ronin’s deep steady breathes.

For now, just for tonight, this would be enough for all of them.


End file.
